The present invention relates to an improved electrical socket.
The design and construction of conventional electrical sockets are well-known. They consist of a socket with socket apertures for connecting 2-pin or 3-pin plugs and an On/Off switch. The disadvantages of these sockets is that plugs connected to the socket can be unintentionally dislodged when a pulling force acts on the plug in a direction away from the socket Further, once an electrical socket is damaged and/or burnt out, the whole socket needs to be replaced. The person replacing the socket requires knowledge of electrical wiring, in order to make the appropriate connections of the live, neutral and earth wires. The wires must be meticulously screwed into the electrical contacts of the new socket.
Also, the appliance attached to the conventional socket may be damaged as a result of current leakage or current overload. Even where the damage is prevented by a central fuse box, it may be difficult to tell which of the appliances in the house or factory premises caused the tripping of the fuse box Sometimes, a small fuse may conventionally, be inserted into a plug. When there is a current overload, the fuse will cut off the electrical connection. The problem is that the user must open up the plug and replace the fuse. This is inconvenient, Finally, if too many appliances are connected to a conventional socket too much heat may be generated which will damage the socket. The invention seeks to overcome the above disadvantages of conventional electrical sockets.
The present invention was developed with a view to providing an improved electrical socket which can prevent a plug from being unintentionally dislodged when in connection with the socket. It is a further objective of this invention to make it easy to replace the socket with a new socket or different configuration of socket without having to rewire the socket. It is a still further objective of this invention to incorporate an internal circuit-breaker mechanism for such electrical socket so that each appliance attached to the electrical socket is protected in the event of current leakage or electrical overload.
According to one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an electrical socket for a plug having a plurality of pins, comprising (1) a socket face plate including at least one set of apertures therein for receiving the respective pins of an electrical plug, wherein the socket face plate carries (i) at least live and neutral connectors, whereby the corresponding live and neutral pins on the plug are able to be brought into electrical connection with respective live and neutral connectors of the face plate when the plug pins are received in the set of apertures, and (ii) means for preventing withdrawal of the pins from the socket face plate when the pins have been received in the apertures, and (2) a socket support including (i) at least live and neutral connectors which are adapted to be electrically connected to a mains electrical supply, and (ii) securing means which releasably secures the socket face plate to the socket support, wherein when the socket face plate is secured to the support by securing means, the live and neutral electrical connectors on the socket face plate are brought into electrical connection respectively with the live and neutral connectors on the socket support.
In one embodiment, the means for preventing withdrawal comprises a screen having a plurality of apertures therein for receiving the pins of the plug, and wherein the screen is movable relative to said socket face plate between a first position in which at least one of the screen apertures are out of alignment with the socket plate apertures, and a second position in which the screen apertures are in alignment with the socket plate apertures, said first condition corresponding with a condition wherein a said plug is able to be prevented from withdrawal from said socket face plate by virtue of engagement of a surface of said screen with a complementary locking formation of at least one pin of said plug.
In one embodiment, the screen is engaged to said socket face plate in a manner movable from the first position to the second position under the pressure of the plug pins when the plug is moved to a fully inserted position with said socket.
In one embodiment, the screen is provided with an operating member for manually moving the screen from the first position to the second position to allow any said plug restrained from removal by said screen to become free for removal from said socket.
In one embodiment, the screen is biased towards the first position so that said surface of said screen is biased toward engagement with complementary locking formations of said pin when the plug is received by the socket.
In one embodiment, the socket face plate is provided with at least two of said sets of apertures.
In one embodiment, the size and/or configuration of one of said sets of apertures is different from the size and/or configuration of another of the sets of apertures, whereby the socket face plate is adapted to receive at least two different types of plug.
In one embodiment, the socket support is further provided with an earth connector which is adapted to be connected to a mains electrical supply.
In one embodiment, the socket face plate is further provided with an earth connector which is brought into electrical connection with the earth connector of the socket support when the face plate is secured to the socket support, whereby an earth pin of the plug can be bought into electrical connection with the earth connection of the socket face plate when the plug pins are received in the set of apertures in the socket face plate.
In one embodiment, the electrical connectors on the socket face plate each comprises a projection and the electrical connectors on the socket support each comprise a recess, each projection being received in a respective recess when the socket face plate is secured to the socket support.
In one embodiment, the electrical connectors on the socket support each comprises a projection, and the electrical connectors on the socket face plate each comprise a recess, each projection being received in a respective recess when the face plate is secured to the support.
In one embodiment, the securing means comprises a snap-fit connection provided between the socket support and the socket face plate.
In one embodiment, a cover is provided for the socket support, the cover being releasably securable to the socket support when the socket face plate has been released from the support, the cover serving to prevent access to the electrical connections of the support.
In one embodiment, the socket support further comprises a housing within which the electrical connectors are disposed and presents the securing means for securing the socket face plate to the housing.
In one embodiment, a circuit breaker is carried on the socket face plate for disconnecting the electrical connection between the mains supply and any plug received in the or each set of apertures in response to a current leak or current overload in such away that said circuit breaker is received within the support housing when the socket face plate is secured to the support.
In one embodiment, the socket support is adapted to be fixed to a structure and the electrical connections of the socket support are adapted to be directly connected to the mains wires installed in the structure.
In one embodiment, the electrical socket further comprises an electrical connector lead, and a plug, the electrical connector lead being secured at one end to the electrical connections of the socket support, and being secured at the other end to the plug.
In one embodiment, the electrical connectors of the socket support are provided in the form of a female connector and the electrical connectors carried by the socket face plate are provided in the form of a male connector.
In one embodiment, the electrical connectors of the socket support are provided in the form of a male connector and the electrical connectors carried by the face plate are provided in the form of a female connector.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an electrical socket for a plug having a plurality of pins comprising (1) a socket face plate including at least one set of apertures therein for receiving the respective pins of an electrical plug, wherein the socket face plate carries (i) at least live and neutral connectors, whereby the corresponding live and neutral pins on the plug are able to be brought into electrical connection with respective live and neutral connectors of the face plate when the plug pins are received in the set of apertures; and (2) a socket support including (i) at least live and neutral connectors which are adapted to be electrically connected to a mains electrical supply, and (ii) securing means which releasably secures the socket face plate to the socket support, wherein when the socket face plate is secured to the support by securing means, the live and neutral electrical connectors on the socket face plate are brought into electrical connection respectively with the live and neutral connectors on the socket support.
In one embodiment, the socket face plate is provided with at least two of said sets of apertures.
In one embodiment, the size and/or configuration of one of said sets of apertures is different from the size and/or configuration of another of the sets of apertures, whereby the socket face plate is adapted to receive at least two different types of plug.
In one embodiment, the socket support is further provided with an earth connector which is adapted to be connected to a mains electrical supply.
In one embodiment, the socket face plate is further provided with an earth connector which is brought into electrical connection with the earth connector of the socket support when the face plate is secured to the socket support, whereby an earth pin of the plug can be bought into electrical connection with the earth connection of the socket face plate when the plug pins are received in the set of apertures in the socket face plate.
In one embodiment, the electrical connectors on the socket face plate each comprises a projection and the electrical connectors on the socket support each comprise a recess, each projection being received in a respective recess when the socket face plate is secured to the socket support.
In one embodiment, the electrical connectors on the socket support each comprises a projection, and the electrical connectors on the socket face plate each comprise a recess, each projection being received in a respective recess when the face plate is secured to the support.
In one embodiment, the securing means comprises a snap-fit connection provided between the socket support and the socket face plate.
In one embodiment, a cover is provided for the socket support, the cover being releasably securable to the socket support when the socket face plate has been released from the support, the cover serving to prevent access to the electrical connections of the support.
In one embodiment, the socket support further comprises a housing within which the electrical connectors are disposed and presents the securing means for securing the socket face plate to the housing.
In one embodiment, a circuit breaker is carried on the socket face plate for disconnecting the electrical connection between the mains supply and any plug received in the or each set of apertures in response to a current leak or current overload in such away that said circuit breaker is received within the support housing when the socket face plate is secured to the support.
In one embodiment, the socket support is adapted to be fixed to a structure and the electrical connections of the socket support are adapted to be directly connected to the mains wires installed in the structure.
In one embodiment, the electrical socket further comprises an electrical connector lead, and a plug, the electrical connector lead being secured at one end to the electrical connections of the socket support, and being secured at the other end to the plug.
In one embodiment, the electrical connectors of the socket support are provided in the form of a female connector and the electrical connectors carried by the socket face plate are provided in the form of a male connector.
In one embodiment, the electrical connectors of the socket support are provided in the form of a male connector and the electrical connectors carried by the face plate are provided in the form of a female connector.